Do spores survive gamma irradiation?

Angelika Maier

pollinator

Posts: 985

Location: cool climate, Blue Mountains, Australia

7

posted 3 years ago

It is autumn here, mushroom season. And like last year I want to grow mushrooms (the last attempt did fail).
I know it is not the best season to start but I always think of mushrooms in autumn.
Amongst others I want to grow reishi mushrooms. Maybe starting them indoors and then transfering them in spring outdoors.
Can I use reishi mushrooms I might find in a Chinese shop? I looked it up in the ICON database that they must either be irradiated with gamma rays
or heated for 8 hours above 85C. As they likely get burned when heated so much I guess that most of them are irradiated. I know that irradiated garlic
can grow, but not as strong as other garlic, but mushroom spores are not garlic.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with old, dried out irradiated mushrooms. Most of the spores are probably either dead or are long gone. I recommend purchasing fresh plugs or sawdust spawn from a local spawn producer (organic if possible) and starting your project in your late winter or early spring. Cut fresh hardwood logs before the buds break, inoculate in about 2 weeks with fresh plugs or sawdust spawn, leave the logs in a clean, shady, moist place away from direct sun. I've had excellent results growing Ling Chih (Ganoderma lucidum) on oak logs using sawdust spawn. In the meantime, look around for fresh wild Ling Chih in your local forests. Ancient Ling Chih (Ganoderma applanatum) is a fairly common mushroom around the world and is an excellent substitute for Reishi/Ling Chih (Ganoderma lucidum) Good luck!

"In a fruit forest everyone is happy"- Sepp Holzer

Angelika Maier

pollinator

Posts: 985

Location: cool climate, Blue Mountains, Australia

7

posted 3 years ago

I have to look weather they grow in Australia and if they grow in our region.
There is a supplier of spawn here:forest fungi $50 for 200 dowels seems a bit pricey, but you cannot compare Aussie prices with US prices.